Figure toy



E. GUSTAFSSON Aug. 17, 1937.

FIGURE TOY Filed Oct. 6, 1936 INVENTOR MEVELYN jus-rnpssolv,

ATTORNEY same structural elements.

Patented Aug. 17, 1937 Evelyn Gustai'sson, New York, N.. Y. Application October 6, 1936, Serial No. l04,l'70.

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to toys, and more particularly, to toy figures.

One object of the present invention is to produce a wide variety of toy figures from the Another object of the invention is to provide a toy figure of novel construction and appearance.

:A further object of the invention is to provide a toy figure of simple construction and capable of being readily produced from preformed tubular elements and bled. together.

capable of being readily assem- More specifically, the present invention resides in. the .production of toy figures from tubular members, such as drinking straws of the type used at soda fountains, and more particularly,

drinking straws made of transparent sheet ce1.

lulosic material known as Cellophane, it being understood that by the term Cellophane, I

mean J-not only. regenerated cellulose, but also other'sheet cellulosic material such as that derivedlfrom cellulose ethers and from cellulose esters, someof which are sold under thetradenames of Protectoid and. Kodapakfl. However, for convenience in reference, the term *Cellophane. willhereinafter beutilized to designate. sheetzcellulosic material of the general class referred to, andwhichis characterized by its-resiliency, hardness and usually by itstransparency,

although materials of this character maybe opaque. .The .Cellophane tubes utilized-for the purpose of my invention may be madeof ordinary Cellophane or of waterproof phane. Also. as

produced-in: various known normal color Cellois Well known Cellophane is colors in addition to the well thereof. The tubes are preferably of the type which are produced by spirally Winding strips of Cellophane securing said spirally wound stripsin tube form.--.

ingflrelation.

and by adhesively,

-Inproducing the figure toys, in accordance with the present invention, aplurality ofxthe Cellophane of the figure and preferably,

tubes are assembled in. simulation.

the tubes are bent so that the several portions of the figure are in integral relation,

parts of the same tubes being utilized for simulating the. various parts of the figure. For'example in producing a toy figure. simulating ,aihorse or pony, a group of Cello- :tubes are arranged,

to simulate the body portion of the animal, and integral portions, of

said tubes are bent to simulate the legs, head,

ears-,andtail of the animal, although it is within the, scope of the present invention to constitute oneormore parts of the figure from separate tubes. The figure toysmay be produced entirely from the Cellophane tubes, suitable means being utilized for holding the .tubes together in figure-simulating position, but Imay. also utilize 5 other elements to assist in obtaining different effects. Thus,.for example, I may utilize stiffening wirespositioned within the tubes to stiffen the figure. or. different parts thereof. For holding the tubes in position, numerous means may be employed such as elastic or inelastic cords,

tapes, 'etc., or I may adhesively secure the tubes or portions'thereof together by. the use of heat when the'material sive in response to of thetube is rendered adheheat, or bya solvent for the material of. the tubes, or by other adhesive substances.

The present invention, and the above objects ancl featuresnthereof, will be morexfully understood from the ;following description considered with :reference to. the accompanying drawing forming apart of the presentspecification.

In the drawing:

;Fig..:1. is.a;perspectivezzview of a figure toy embodying the. present invention;

Fig. 2. is a sectionalyview on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3.=is a'sectional view.

Fig. l;

the line 2-2 of on the line 33 of ;Fig. 4. is::a.:perspective view .of another toy figurer-whiclr mayb present invention;

e; made: in: accordance with the Fig.1'5 is a. sectional view on the line 55 of Fig: 4;

I Fig.6. is. antenlargedsectional view on the line ;Fig. 7 isarmoresor less diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement and formation of the tubes in producing: shownin Fig. 1.

artoyfigure, for example, that Referring to the drawing in detail, the toy figureflllshown in shown in Fig. :4, a large number invention. a fanciful simulati lustrates a person Fig. Land the toy figure l2,

are illustrative of only twoof of different toy figures which may be producedin accordance with Thus, -for' example, Fig. 1 represents onof-a mule, while Fig. 4 ilin a skiing costume. Numerous other figures; may .be'; produced in accordance with the teachings:

of the present disclosure.

Referring, first,'to Figs. 1 to '3, and 7, in producing the toy figure I0, a plurality of Cellophane, stantially parallel extend longitudina tubes 14 are grouped together in sub-' relation in which the tubes lly and are arranged to form the present a curved outline to simulate the body portion I6 of the figure. Some ofthe tubes are reflexed downwardly at both ends to form the front and hind legs [8 and 20 of the figure, while other tubes are bent upwardly and then downwardly at the front of the figure to form the neck 22 and the head 24. The rear end of said last mentioned tubes are reflexed and are preferably braided together to simulate a braided tail 26. Additional tubes 28 are grouped at the front of the figure together with the portions forming the front legs 18, the neck 22 and the head 24, and have folded portions 30 to simulate the ears of the figure.

The tubes are held together in the desired relation by any suitable means here shown as rubher or other elastic bands 32. As the tubes are resilient they may be compressed more or less in different portions thereof or fiattenedto obtain the desired appearance of the figure in the different parts thereof. Thus, for example, in the rearpart of the body of the figure, the tubes are more compressed than the front part of the body portion of the figure so that the rear part of the figure is of smaller diameter than the front of the body portion. This may be readily accomplished by using elastic cords of different sizes or inelastic cords and tightening them about the different parts of the figure as may be necessary to obtain the desired appearance. Instead of a plurality of cords, I may use a continuous tape or cord wound about the figure or partsthereof. The different effects obtainable by utilizing the Cellophane tubes is also indicated by the fiat portions of the tubes in the tail and earportions of the figure, the flattened tubes in the tail portion being braided together to simulate a braided tail. The elastic band 32 in addition to its function of fastening means for holding the tube portions together also simulates the fastening ribbon frequently used on a braided tail of a live animal. By flattening the tubes in the ear portions, the latter more closely simulate the natural ears of the live animal. In the construction just described, the figure is supported in upright position without any stiffening -means other than that inherent in the tube portions which form the front and hind legs of the figure.

In Fig. 4 the invention is illustrated as applied to a simulated human figure, represented as a person in skiing costume and wearing skis. As here shown, the body portion 40, the head 42, the arms 44 and the legs 46 are formed from Cellophane tubes arranged in groups and held in the specified relation by elastic bands 48 or by some other suitable means; The skis 50 are also rep.

resented by Cellophane tubes disposed in juxtaposition to the feet of the figure. Preferably, the figure is reinforced by metal wires 52 which extend longitudinally of the figure and are concealed by the Cellophane tubes. Said wires have lower horizontal portions 54 which project forwardly of the figure and are reflexed in spaced relation to outline roughly the formation of skis. .This' appearance is improved, as here shown, by positioning the wires within the tubes 50 so that the said wires thereby.

Thus, it is seen that the constructions herein illustrated are well adapted to accomplish "the several objects of the present invention. a It will be understood that a wide variety of novel effects may be obtained by producing figures of different types in simulation of various natural figures. As Cellophane tubes are available in a plurality are substantially concealed of different colors, it is apparent that by utilizing in a single figure tubes of different colors various pleasing and readily variable ornamental effects may be obtained. Thus, for example, tubes of one color may be arranged to simulate the body portion of the skiing figure illustrated in Fig. 4, while the toque 56, worn by the figure, may be made of tubes or of Cellophane material of different color. Also, the elastic bands utilized for holding the tubes in assembled relation may be of a color which contrasts with the color of the tubes and thereby further add to the different color combinations which can be obtained in accordance with the present invention. It will be understood that in lieu of the elastic bands or other fastening elements, the tubes may be held in proper position by means of any suitable adhesive or by subjecting the material of the tubes in their assembled relation to the action of heat or of a solvent, or of both heat and solvent, to render said tubes adhesive. Numerous other variations in the construction and arrangement of parts of the embodiments herein illustrated may be made, and other embodiments of the inven-.'

tion may be readily produced following the teachings of this specification. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely tov the constructions herein shown or described, except as may be required by the appended claims considered with reference to the prior art.

Having thus described my, invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy figure comprising a plurality of Cellophane tubes arranged in simulation of the body, head and limbs of the figure, and means for holding said tubes in said arrangement.

2. A toy figure comprising a plurality of Cellophane" tubes arranged in simulation of the figure, and means for holding said tubes in said ar-f rangement. j

3. A toy figure comprising a plurality of .Cellophane tubes arranged in simulation of the figure,

means for holding said tubes in said arrange-' ment, and means associated with said tubes for stiffening 'a, part of the figure.

4. A toy figure comprising a: plurality of Ce1lo-.

phane tubes arranged insimulation of the fig ure, means for holding said'tubes in said arrangement, and wire elements associated with some of said tubesforstiffening a part of the figure;

5. A toy figure comprising a plurality of "Cellophane tubes arranged in simulation of the .figure, means for holding said tubes in saidarrangement, and a wire element disposed within some of said tubes for stiffening a part of the figure.

6. A toy figure comprising a plurality of slender elongated tubular elements composed of cellulosic sheet material; said elements having portions extending longitudinally of the figure and defin ing the body thereof and reflexed portions arranged in simulation of the limbs of the figure, and means for holding said elements together in figure simulating relation;

elongated tubular elements composed of cellulosic sheet material, said elements having portions extending longitudinally of the figure and defining the body thereof and reflexed portions arranged in simulation of the limbs of the figure, and means for holding said elements together in figure simulating relation and means associated with said tubes for stiffening a part of the figure.

8. A toy figure comprising a plurality of slender 7. A toy figure comprising a plurality of slender elongated tubular elements composed of cellulosic sheet material, said elements having portions extending longitudinally of the figure and defining the body thereof and reflexed portions arranged in simulation of the limbs of the figure, means for holding said elements together in figure simulating relation, and wire elements associated with some of said tubes for stiffening a part of the figure.

9. A toy figure comprising a plurality of slender elongated tubular elements composed of transparent and colored cellulosic sheet material, said elements having portions extending longitudinally of the figure and defining the body thereof and reflexed portions arranged in simulation of the limbs of the figure, and means for holding said elements together in figure simulating relation.

10. A toy figure comprising a plurality of 20 slender elongated tubular elements composed of transparent cellulosic sheet material, said elements having portions extending longitudinally of the figure and defining the body thereof and refiexed portions arranged in simulation of the limbs of the figure, and means for holding said elements together in figure simulating relation.

11. A toy comprising a plurality of Cellophane tubes arranged in simulation of the body, head and limbs of an animal figure, some of said tubes having refiexed portions extending from the body portion of the figure and forming the limbs thereof.

12. A toy comprising a plurality of Cellophane tubes arranged in simulation of the body, head and limbs of an animal figure, some of said tubes having reflexed portions extending from the body portion of the figure and forming the limbs thereof, and means associated with said tubes for stiffening a part of the figure.

EVELYN GUSTAFSSON'. 

